


One Last Time

by patrioticpotatoes



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-War, Emperor Hux, Force Ghosts, Like really unhealthy, M/M, Star Wars: The Last Jedi Spoilers, Unhealthy Relationships, mentions of abuse, where the bad guys win
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-02
Updated: 2018-02-02
Packaged: 2019-03-01 23:34:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13305702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/patrioticpotatoes/pseuds/patrioticpotatoes
Summary: The first event hosted by the newly crowned Emperor Hux is a ball. Something to calm to people and assure them that all would be well now that the war was over. However, an unexpected guest causes some memories to return and for a different sense of calm to wash over the normally rigidly anxious ruler.





	One Last Time

**Author's Note:**

> [Inspired by this beautiful piece of art by tumblr user fancymaul](https://fancymaul.tumblr.com/post/169369654247/ill-always-be-there-with-you-ill-always-be)

If there was a single moment Hux could capture, it was the moment the creature showed up. Not entirely due to his own reaction, but due to the reactions of the guests.

Pure silence.

Up until that point, there really hadn't been too many memorable events. Hux had spoken to a good number of prominent political figures and began opening negotiations. Nothing sealed, of course. The first ball of Hux's rule over the galaxy was not meant for making deals, rather for opening the pathway to their creating. Something of a show to give the public a sense of comfort and security, a bit of trust in their government for them to cling onto as the dust settled from the events of the war. The war...now ended, though it seemed to linger in the minds of most everyone. Two weeks since the end of the Rebellion, and the beginning of the reign of the First Order.

The worst part about parties was the noise. Hux was used to a certain noise, being a former general and all. The waging battles, the sounds of booming shots, echoing screams, and barking commands from all over. But social events had a different type of noise. It was sly gossip and undertones of snarkiness well disguised beneath smiling faces and supposed compliments. This time around, everyone was on their toes, so there would be a distinct lack of any visible loathing, though the emptiness was the same. It was all so useless, and that was what really drove him mad. This was a battle of words rather than strict commands of action, and while Hux excelled at both, he clearly favored the mechanics of leading an army to victory over the tongue twists of social politics.

Hux had been sitting, gazing out over his new subjects, when the moment struck. It had been one of the brief moments when he was alone, not speaking to anyone. A glorious sight, the white clad emperor reclining in his throne-if reclining could be used for a man with such proper posture. His blue eyes had scanned over every attendee at least three times, yet he still felt the need to look the scene over again as he contemplated to himself. And then it happened.

A sudden buzz went through the room, a feeling which immediately affected the entire room. Most of these people, if not all, had never felt something like this before, this energy that had no clear source. But Hux had, and Hux knew exactly where it was coming from.

It was a split second later when the being formed in the middle of the room. A glowing red figure with a full length hooded cloak covering his head and body, which faced the throne. 

It was as though someone had pressed the mute button for the room, making every voice go silent at the exact same time. All eyes were fixed on the supposedly magical being. Even the musicians had stopped playing to stare in shock and fear. Hux was surprised no one had screamed. He hadn't moved an inch, eyes focused on the intruder with almost an appearance of disinterest. The being didn't seem deterred by said expression, slowly moving towards the foot of the throne. There weren't the sloppy motions Hux remembered him having back when he was alive. These were graceful, almost floating motions that gave his overall movement an aura of weightlessness. Hux remained motionless, even as the man knelt before him. 

Oh. So now he knelt?

Hux remembered the day he killed Kylo Ren, better than any other day, in fact. Better than the day he destroyed the Hosnian System. Better than the day Ren had promoted him to Grand Marshal. Better than the day he stood as the Emperor of the First Order, over the galaxy, with the Resistance thoroughly demolished. No, as glorious as all that had been, it was nothing compared to the events of that gory day. The blood...the screams...the temporary loss of insanity that resulted from it all. 

_"Grand Marshal Hux, you are relieved of your position effective immediately."_

_Hux hadn't been sure he heard right. "Wh...what?" Eyebrows furrowed, he stared at Ren with nothing but confusion. The Supreme Leader did not respond, only staring back at him with...was that triumph in his eyes? Those over emotive eyes for once were near impossible for Hux to read. Triumph? Or was that smugness? Or even some sort of satisfaction? It didn't matter then, for he realized that he was staring with wide eyes at the Supreme Leader, with a good chunk of the crew standing on the deck below, all watching as well. Fuck Ren for making this sort of announcement in public._

_Immediately, Hux's mind began working at the speed of light. He likely had heard correctly, since Ren did not make any motion to clarify his statement. Then maybe the meaning of his words was not what he believed them to be. Ren surely couldn't be getting rid of him permanently. No, he needed him. He was the brains of this entire operation. He was the voice of political and strategic reason, the only reason why the Order hadn't self destructed under the reign of the Supreme Loser. "Am I...being demoted?" He asked slowly. Internally, he was pleading for this to be the case. He could handle being demoted to General again, or whatever he decided to put upon him._

_"No." Came the the sickening response. "You are dismissed from the service of the First Order."_

_Hux couldn't say anything._

_There was no snarky remark, no witty retort. There was no sarcasm nor ridicule, no sneer nor scoff, which came from Hux's mouth. He knew deep down that there was a necessity to keep his strong image up, the image of the proud general that his troops respected and fear. But there was another part of him, a much stronger part of him that hadn't ever overpowered the rational side of him ever before: his emotions. The feeling of a deep betrayal because the Order which he had dedicated his life to was now casting him out, the feeling of shock because he hadn't thought he done anything to deserve this at all, the feeling of horror as he realized the First Order now had the Kylo Ren as their leader with no restraints on his psychotic tantrums, the feeling of dread because his face was well recognizable and there were many people who would pay a large bounty for his head on a silver platter. Hux had nowhere to go, no one to run to, nothing left of even his childhood that he could cling to._

_"At the next possible outpost, you will be dropped off. The Order thanks you for your service, but it is no longer necessary." That dammed man was still talking. His eyes bore into Hux's as he spoke those next words with a certain underlying venom that made his blood run cold. "You are no longer necessary."_

_That was it. That was all? He was nothing more than a piece of a machine, easy to discard and replace. He wasn't special, not some glorious leader. He was expendable, he was a pawn. Not the proud king calling the shots, but a mere pawn. A simple tool to achieve a goal, then cast aside. He was nothing. He had started as nothing and thanks to this bitch, he would end as nothing. He wouldn't have the dignity of dying in power, as a Grand Marshal. He would die as a nobody, his name and legacy solidified in history as a failure who was kicked out of his own organization for reasons unknown. He was not necessary. He was not important. He was nothing._

Emperor Hux barely contained a smirk as he watched the former Supreme Leader kneel before him. Someone who once held mystical power and control over the strongest military forces in the galaxy, bent at the feet of the one he declared as unnecessary. Beautiful. 

_Hux immediately knelt before his leader, still trying to wrap his head around this entire concept. "Supreme Leader, I don't know what I've done wrong but-"_

_"But what?"_

_A gulp went down his throat. Hux pressed his lips to Ren's gloved hand, his fucking huge gloved hand, as his eyes remained fixed on those dark ones. "Whatever it is I've done, let me fix it." The hand was pulled from his grasp._

_"Get out." There wasn't even hostility in his damn voice! Hux could feel himself start to shake because damn Ren and damn his complete lack of understanding the gravity in situations as severe as this. Ren just used the Force to pull him to his feet and waved him off as though it was nothing. But Hux didn't leave, he didn't move after the buzz of the Force had released him._

Kylo Ren reached out for his hand. Hux, after a brief moment of consideration, lifted his white gloved hand and extended it ever so slightly. Ren reached for it, taking it in his own glowing hand and pulling it close. It was a strange feeling to his touch...There was a coolness to it. No, an absent cold, yes, that was the phrase. He could feel the touch, but it wasn't entirely there. Empty of the warmth that Hux knew Ren normally had and empty of the physical presence. A ghost of a touch, Hux thought with a touch of humor in his mind. As Ren kissed the top of his hand, Hux couldn't help but let the slightest smirk dance across his lips.

As Ren rose from his kneeling position, Hux did as well. With a few graces steps, he was down from his throne and standing next to the still cloaked and hooded figure who was still holding his hand. Slowly, they walked to the center of the dance floor. With a wave of his other hand, every other guest was pushed to the sides of the room, leaving a wide space for them to dance. The guests still had their eyes glued to the couple, no one moving or speaking a word. The two made it to the center of the room and slowly yet gracefully turned to face each other.

_Hux was shaking, shaking hard. He didn't even realize it was happening. All he knew was that his vision was going red and his temper was flaring up. "You...you can't!" He choked out, sounding very much like the toddler he always accused Ren of behaving like. His ears were a bright red and his chest was rising and falling a bit faster as his breath quickened._

_"Of course I can. You are no longer needed to win this war. So get out." Ren merely rose a brow. So now he acted cool and level headed? What alternate reality was this, where Hux was acting on emotion and Ren stood with a straight face? Hux gritted his teeth, the words spurring him on even more._

_"No longer needed? Bullshit." Strike two. First, he had refused to follow a direct order. And now he was cursing. In front of both his boss and his men. But Hux didn't listen to the screaming voice in his head to stop and be rational. He just kept talking. "You know as well as I do that I am the only reason why the First Order hasn't collapsed on itself. I'm your only voice of reason! Without me, you have no strategy other than 'blow things up and cut things down'. Without me, you have no control over the troops. You think you can lead them? You can't. They don't respect you, they fear you, and if I read correctly, fear leads to anger and anger leads to hate. You will be betrayed and abandoned the moment you send me off. You have no clue what you're doing, no sense of formal training, and no chance of winning this war if you don't have me by your side-"_

__

_He had been cut off as his airway was restricted. He choked and gasped, not having any air in his lungs to cling to. Dammit, why did he always have to choke him when he was speaking? Did he not have the common decency to constrict his throat when he had had a solid inhale? As Hux's vision started to blur and dot with colors, Ren decided to let him go. He fell to the ground, back to his knees, and gasped for air. "Is that the only trick you know?" He growled at Ren as he stood, towering over him, with that same impassive stare._

_Then the tall darkly clad man squatted before him to where they were eye to eye. "If I wanted to, I could have you screaming in agony, writhing on the floor at my feet, in front of your entire crew. Don't ask questions, don't talk back, and do what you're told, Armitage."_

_As if things weren't bad enough without Ren deciding to skip both his title and his last name, going straight for the informal first name. The smallest things were making Hux see red once more, the other colors fading away as he regained his breath. "You need me, Ren." His voice was a whisper, eyes holding the other's without waver._

_"You think you deserve to be at my side, don't you?" There was cruelty in his voice now. Clear and distinct as that deep voice boomed loud enough for the entire assembly of silent watchers to hear without question of the words spoken. "You think yourself something important? Something special? You have no gifts, no talents, nothing but a small knack for hiding in the planning room rather than face any actual fighting- and even that you manage to screw up. Face the fact that is your own uselessness. If you really can't handle leaving, I'll show mercy and let you work as a kitchen wench where you actually deserve to be, bastard."_

_And that was the final straw._

Hux and his mystical partner both turned their heads at the same time towards the musicians. The quartet understood immediately, and despite that they were likely scared out of their wits, they began to play. Ren still held Hux's hand as he bowed and Hux dipped his head in return when the taller man rose. Then, they took stance and began to waltz. There were no words between the two of them, just a silent movement across the floor. The only competing sounds to the music were the soft brushes of the end of a cape against the marble and the low click of two boots as the pair stepped to and fro. It may not have been the total silence that Hux had so adored from only moments ago, but it was still a comforting feeling.

Comfort. That was something he wasn't used to at all.

_Hux lunged forwards, red encompassing all of his sight. The thing was, he didn't think about it. He was acting purely on the energy of the moment, his actions not registering in his mind. The knife he kept pinned to his wrist had flicked out and was heading straight for Ren's stupid face._

__

_The yell that followed was the most deafening sound he had ever heard, and that was coming from a man who lived watching battles. The Supreme Leader growled as he pulled back, the knife having hit its mark on his cheek. The blade didn't strike high enough to hit any part of his brain, unfortunately, and it was too small of a blade to go straight through his skull. Shame, that would have made things much easier. Ren stood and held out his hand, ready to choke him once more, but before he had the chance, Hux kicked out with one foot, making the younger man stumble. Quickly, Hux rose and started throwing punches, just to keep Ren disoriented enough to not choke him to death as he slid the bloody weapon back in his sleeve._

_His wobbly state only lasted a few moments before he managed to throw out his hand and fling Hux against the far wall. It didn't faze the ginger at all. He stood tall, pushing himself off of the wall and charging again. The Force user bared his teeth and ignited his lightsaber, its glowing red light crackling with menace. Hux saw it rise as he ran and he just barely managed to lean back to pass beneath it's energy. After another dodge and a duck, he heard someone yell, "Grand Marshal!" He turned and saw one of his officers grab a weapon from a trooper in their lines and throw it. Hux caught it and activated it immediately. A z6 baton. Perfect. He swung just in time to keep his midsection from being sliced in two. The faint blue edge of the blade pressed against the significantly brighter blade of the saber._

_Ren hissed out, kicking out with one leg. Hux stumbled and went to one knee, losing his strong grip on his weapon. He half dropped it, leaning back to prevent the red sword from hitting him. As quickly as he could, he stood and took a few steps back, staggering slightly. His adrenaline was rushing as he charged again. Ren matched him with every blow, though it was clear by the look on his face that the Supreme Leader was unsure of every step and move. It was likely due to the fact that he couldn't read Hux's mind and anticipate action. He supposed that was what normally happened in battle. There was such an energy surge throughout the body and the mind is left vulnerable through this distraction. Truth be told, it would be the same way with Hux, his own mental barriers collapsed and fallen. The only reason why Ren didn't know his thoughts was because he didn't know them himself. He wasn't thinking, he was only acting. No planning, no thinking ahead, no sense of strategy. He was too angry to rationalize._

_And the hits kept going. An aim to the stomach, an aim to the leg, an aim to the chest. Nothing hit flesh on either side of the battle. His men remained in his ranks, and for good reason. If Hux were to lose this battle, which was very likely, any of them who helped in any way would be executed, such as baton boy. If anything, they were being a hundred percent smarter than Hux was._

_Eventually, Hux made an error. He swung too far out, which led to the baton being knocked out of his grasp. It went flying to the side of the room, far from his reach. Fuck._

_He had to duck twice to escape the wrath of Ren. He half crawled towards the baton, only to be blocked by large, shining boots. There was a second where fear overtook him and he was suddenly a hundred percent aware that if he wasted another second, he would be impaled through the skull by the plunging blade in his enemy's hands. Instincts kicked in once more and he was rolling out of the way. He didn't go without grim warning of what would happen if he slacked even the slightest; he could feel the warmth of the red against his skin, through his coat and top. He turned quickly, his mind working quickly. He only had seconds before Ren would realize he was thinking out loud and that he could exploit that. He examined his surroundings as he stepped back, eyes darting to and from within a single second of time. There were consoles and monitors around the backside of the room, which seemed to be the only bit of surrounding area which could possibly aid him._

_He just needed to get over there._

_Backing up wasn't hard, but keeping Ren out of his mind was. He tried to focus his thoughts on one specific subject: his feet. Step, step, step. Heel toe, heel toe, heel toe. So mundane that Ren must have thought him still under the influence of an adrenaline rush. It worked, thankfully, and they were towards the back of the room within half a minute, out of the view of the officers and foot soldiers._

_"Give up and die quickly." Ren hissed. "You're out of their sight, it won't hurt your reputation any more than it would if I ran you through as you fight."_

_"How sweet. Almost as if you cared about my reputation." Came the weak reply, Hux being horribly out of breath from lack of conditioning._

_It was a stroke of luck that he hadn't needed to bait Ren any further to get him lunging. When the moment happened, it was a swift turn of his body, and Ren was now closer to the consoles with Hux on his outer, somewhat cornering him. The next few seconds went by in near slow motion in Hux's petrified mind._

_Ren spun around and took a step forward, saber raised. Hux let his dagger slide from his sleeve and gripped it tight, moving forwards as well. There was the slightest hint of confusion in those large dark eyes, mixing in with the rage he was used to seeing. In that micromoment of conflicting emotion, Hux thrust his hand out and up._

_The blade went through the Supreme Leader's lower jaw._

_This time, he angled it just right._

_This time, it went through._

_Through his jaw, through his throat, and through to where it hit the console._

_Kylo Ren didn't have the time to scream. No, he didn't get that luxury. The blade had struck through the outer frame of the console and went through to the wires. He didn't get a second before electricity coursed through the metal of the knife and to the rest of Ren's body. Hux, as soon as he felt the sharp sting of the electricity, let go of the knife handle and gasped, clutching his hands as he stumbled back. Ren had no such chance, being pinned to the machinery by that damning shard of metal. As he choked on his own blood, he was electrocuted, his body flashing and convulsing. Hux looked up to see it, despite the pain in his hands, the sparks reflecting in his own blue eyes._

_And the console sparked out, sending even more sparks into the room before it all went dark and dim._

_Hux stood back for a few seconds, chest heaving as he struggled to breath. He took a couple of hesitant steps forward. His heart pounded in his chest, every other sound in the room insignificant in the moment. Not even the soft thuds of his boots hitting the shining floors were audible as he started moving closer. He knelt for the last time beside his former leader's corpse._

_Supreme Leader Kylo Ren was dead._

"When I first heard your voice, I thought I was crazy." Hux spoke softly in volume. None of the onlookers could likely hear over the music, but it was enough for the cloaked figure to hear. The emperor couldn't tell what his expression was beneath that cloak, but the voice he knew so well responded to him:

"Perhaps you are. Perhaps I am but a figment of your imagination."

Hux cracked the slightest of smiles. "I suppose I would look rather foolish dancing with myself, hm?"

The very evening he had killed Ren and taken his place as the Supreme Leader of the First Order, he had begun to hear Ren's voice in his head. He, at first, thought the most logical thing, that he had gone off the deep end and was now completely insane. The words were different than the ones he had heard so recently. It wasn't bitter or snarky. A tiny bit of sarcasm at times, but for the most part, there was just encouragement. Little bits of praise of how well he was doing, how much more capable he was at leading than he had ever been while alive. So out of character from the man who had berated and dumped hatred upon him, yet so familiar to the man Hux used to know before Starkiller, the man who he invited to bed at times when he truly needed some form of distraction. Their juxtaposition was so perfect in various layers back then and the new voice in his head, that body-less voice in his head, it just made life seem so much better. Hux decided that as long as his health wasn't severely in danger, he would just continue on and take the sounds in his head as gifts, bits of his own creation.

Yet here he was, dancing with the man he had slain.

The oddest part of it all was how...normal it felt. Almost expected, as if deep down in his bones, Hux knew the voice in his head was actually Ren. Some Force Ghost magic or whatever it was called. It was almost unreal, the fluidity with which Ren moved in, the mere absence of his body felt through the simplest of touches...it was all just so much to take in. But Hux didn't try to. Rather, he decided for once he would live in the moment and savor this last glance at his lover.

"Can you forgive me?" The words were serious from Ren's lips, wherever they were from beneath the glowing red hood.

Emperor Hux nearly laughed. Of course, there was the irony in that statement since he had been the once to kill Ren rather than the vice versa, and in a gruesome way, so technically he owed Ren the apology. However, if one were to look back at it, he didn't. How many times did Ren throw him to the wall? Drag him across the ground? Choke him nearly to death? Fling him around like a rag doll? Humiliate and insult him in front of his men? Undermine every piece of input he tried to give? The bruises on Hux's skin matched the ones on his confidence. 

Hux simply looked at Ren, though he could not make direct eye contact due to the lack of eyes to make contact with. There was a soft shake of the head. "No."

Ren dipped his head in acknowledgement. "Fair enough, I don't blame you...I went too far. I forgive you for killing me."

It was so oddly worded, how Ren said that, that Hux couldn't help but roll his eyes. "I don't need your forgiveness."

Another nod from Ren. 

Hux continued to waltz with the ghost, questions laying at the tip of his tongue. Eventually, he decided he should ask at least a few of them. "Why have you never had a physical body before?"

"I didn't have the strength. This is consuming much of my energy alone, so I doubt I'll even be able to speak to you for a few weeks while I regain my power...I don't think I will ever have the power to physically appear to you again. My voice will be there, though, I promise."

Hux waited a few seconds to ask another question. "What do you look like under there?"

Ren didn't answer immediately, which only piqued Hux's curiosity. When he did speak, the ginger felt a spark of thrill. "Would you like to find out? Go ahead." Hux didn't hesitate to reach behind and pull down the hood to see the face of the man who held so many positions from lover to enemy to ally to abuser.

It was not the face he was used to seeing, to say the least. It wasn't the black mass of waves he had grown so fond of touching. There were no ebony locks falling halfway to his shoulders, the stunning contrast to his normally pale skin missing as well. The uneven nose was still there, though it was not as he remembered either. Nor were his precious pouty lips or expressive dark eyes. It was not the physical appearance of the man he was used to seeing throwing tantrums or screaming orders. No, the face he saw was nothing of beauty.

His hair was limp, not a single wave or curl. The black wires were stringy and dead, some sticking up in frizzy flyaway. His eyes had star shaped cataracts and his pupils were a dull gray. The brown of his iris was now almost to a yellow color. His skin was no longer soft, but a rough and leathery looking appearance. His lips were heavily chapped, looking as though they would bleed if he was a real man. The nose so prominent on his face was peeling at the nostrils with tiny flecks of flesh. There were gaping wounds where Hux had stabbed him. Overall, he looked horrible.

Hux spent a few moments examining his face, knowing full well that there were many others in the room who were probably repulsed. Sucks for them.

"You look horrible." He spoke honestly, smirking. "How it pleases me to know I did that to you." 

"And you look stunning, in contrast." Ren spoke smoothly, not seeming to care about the insult. Funny how death can change someone like that. "Your eyes are bright, your face is somewhat fuller, and I can't see a single bruise."

"Mmm, I've been trying this miraculous thing," He smiled elegantly, as one would do in a polite conversation. "It's called eating and sleeping. Really does wonders to the body."

Ren snorted, amusement radiating from his already glowing body. They continued to dance, swirling around the floor professionally.

After a while of silence between them, the emperor heard his partner's voice once more. "It was my own fault."

"I know." Came the near immediate response.

And it was true. Hux felt no remorse for killing Ren. He had given him a chance to rule by his side. He had given him a chance to at least treat him with some form of respect. Hux had been merciful enough to play the part of a submissive subordinate. All he had wanted was some respect, some acknowledgement for his worth through the promise and payment of power. But no, Ren had gone and ruined all of that.

He ruined it the moment he had choked him in the throne room. He had ruined it when he flung him into the wall on Crait. He had ruined it the moment he tried to get rid of Hux, tried to call him nothing, tried to kill him without thought for consequence. Hux had heard enough in his life about how he was worthless, useless, and pathetic. He had heard enough. 

"I should have let you rule by my side." He murmured, dull eyes remaining fixed on Hux's face. "I should have kept you close, should have given you everything you wanted...it was my own fault..."

And there was a sudden flash in his mind. Hux could now see the world Ren was projecting, an alternate universe in which Ren hadn't made the mistakes he had. It wasn't a foreign experience. Hux could remember when he was first subject to this seemingly mystical experience. It had been Snoke, projecting memories from the past rather than the future into his mind. There had been a few tears shed that day as he saw his worst memories and hardest failures replayed over and over. Then again, that was when he was a foolish boy. Nothing like the man he was now.

The images flowing in Hux's mind from Ren's imagination were nothing less than beautiful.

He could see himself draped in luxurious black and red cloth, metal embellishments all over. He was much higher than even a Grand Marshal. He was the Supreme Leader. Sitting on the throne, gazing over the other man in the room with pride and triumph. The other man, Ren himself, was dressed similarly, though in more black than red, something of an inverse of Hux's outfit. They were both of the same rank. Equal to each other. The balance between chaos and order, the symmetry between brute force and mental capacity, the equilibrium of the Force and common reality. The pride and triumph Hux was feeling was not of dominance over the other man, but a shared one of cooperation and a future with both brain and brawn building the galaxy again. Fixing every mistake, righting every wrong, filling the world with peace and order. Once and for all, side by side.

And just like that, the vision was gone.

"Why?" Hux could only whisper, his chest aching for some odd reason. Hopefully it wasn't the heart attack that the medical workers had warned him would likely happen due to stress and overworking. "Why did you try to throw me away?"

It could have happened. It truly could have happened. Snoke was no longer pitting them against each other, they could have been the perfect duo. Hux hadn't thought of it in too much depth, as he knew somewhere deep in his heart that it could never happen like that...but it was only because neither of them tried. 

Ren only gave a small, sad smile. 

Hux wanted to protest, use his power as emperor to command the insufferable man, ghost, whatever, to give him a straight answer. But before any protests could be made, he felt something different with Ren's touch. It was faded even more than it already had been, a ghost of a ghost of a real touch. It meant one thing, that Ren was losing energy and would have to leave sooner or later. 

Ren sensed it as well and spun Hux around to get his cape sweeping merely for dramatics. When Hux had stood tall afterwards, the cape swinging still until it fell back with grace and elegant power, Ren stood tall as the song ended. Then, he bowed.

When the Resistance had been blown to bits and all hope for the fall of the First Order crushed, Hux had been the Supreme Leader. The military leader which held control over the destructive forces of the First Order. He was in charge of the martial law that reigned throughout the galaxy during the chaos ensuing that final battle. But he didn't want that. He needed a strong central government, while still holding command over a law enforcing unit, which would be their army, navy, and air force. In short, Armitage Hux wanted political control and military control, so he declared himself Emperor. When he had, he had heard Ren's voice in his head, whispering, "All hail the Emperor."

Now, Ren raised his hand and spoke the words aloud. "All hail Emperor Hux."

Every being in the room heard it. If there was any question to Hux's power, any attempt at some coup or assassination, it was gone. Hux had the support of a fucking ghost, they would not stand a chance. A collective murmur echoed through the hall as the guests repeated the four words.

Ren stood again and even his red glow was dimmer than before. He stepped close and Hux could feel his heart thud.

Kylo Ren leaned forwards and slightly down. 

Armitage Hux leaned forwards and slightly up.

The emperor let his eyes flutter shut as he felt that ghost of a touch on his lips, getting fainter and fainter each moment. A ghost of a kiss.

When Hux opened his eyes, Ren was gone. 

And he was left alone to solve the world's problems, but that was okay. For Hux knew that Ren's voice would be back in his head as soon as he had the strength. Besides, he hadn't needed him to end the loathsome Resistance and secure his place in history as youngest, and frankly most attractive, Emperor. He would not need Ren's help to cement his legacy further as the most successful emperor. 

Ren had needed him to survive, to stay sane, to get the work done.

Hux did not need him.

**Author's Note:**

> So, a slight bit different from the art, as I made Kylo Ren a hideously deformed force ghost. I've got a headcanon that darkside force ghosts aren't properly in tune with the force when they die, so their force ghosts, while present, don't heal the injuries of their life. Thanks for reading, I hope y'all enjoy :)


End file.
